I know this " is what you use when someone is actually talking, but what about when you are writing in first person and the character is thinking something? Would you use one just like this ' on each end?? If not, how do you write what the character is thinking??
2006-07-04 12:52:53 · 13 answers · asked by Hockey Girl 4 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
Italics.
2006-07-04 12:55:09 · answer #1 · answered by $ Italiano $ 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think it would be fairly obvious when a character is thinking something rather than saying it. I think using italics to separate her thoughts from the rest of the text could potentially be very annoying--especially if she's introspective. Quotation marks mean dialogue, and that's enough of a distinction between the two. I can't remember any books offhand that use italics in such a way.
If you're writing in first person, and there is no third person narrator for the story/novel, then there should be no confusion distinguishing the two.
I think you should give your audience more credit that they'll be able to understand the difference. (I also think it unnecessary to have to introduce every thought the person has with some sort of phrase like "I thought to myself...")
2006-07-04 23:10:10 · answer #2 · answered by laney_po 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I like to write in italics (the slanted letters-on word the icon is a slanted I) for the character thinking something, but since you're writing in first person, only do that what you write something like, thought here, thought main character. If you're not writing on a computer, underline the character's thoughts.
2006-07-04 20:05:42 · answer #3 · answered by she who is awesome 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Italics or quotation marks the way other posters have been using them. Another good bet is to find a book that is written in the first person (like "Jane Eyre") and see how that author handled it.
2006-07-04 20:05:26 · answer #4 · answered by Church Music Girl 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not an English expert, but I don't think you have to use any quotation marks. For example:
What a cute guy, I thought. I'd love to go out with him.
2006-07-04 19:58:11 · answer #5 · answered by Sabina 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nowadays with the nifty word processing features they generally recommend using italics
2006-07-04 19:56:36 · answer #6 · answered by mdelechat 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you could use - and end it with another - . but the first guy was right, italics are probably better... perhaps a smaller font for italics to make it seem more private.. if that makes sense.
2006-07-04 19:56:24 · answer #7 · answered by Mickle 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the way i've seen others use it is just by italicizing the thoughts. i don't think that you have to separate it much, though, if at all. just make sure there's a word somewhere that lets you know that it's someone's thoughts, and not just the narrator's comments on the setting.
2006-07-04 19:56:44 · answer #8 · answered by disciple1987 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She approached him with a smile on her face, and George thought to himself, "does she remember what happened last night?" He dicided to ask her this question after they got inside.
that's just a way in which i go about it. maybe if you gave an example in something your trying to write, and we can be more of a help.
2006-07-04 19:59:26 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Quotes " on each end. A single quote ' is used within double quotes ".
2006-07-04 19:58:23 · answer #10 · answered by lcmcpa 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋